Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Ministry of Defence has madean assessment of (a) the suitability of data transmission rates; and (b) the visual situational awareness provided by the Bowman Combat Infrastructure Platform Programme.

Lord Drayson: The large-scale integration trial for high-capacity data radio in May 2006 and the systems readiness test in November 2006 assessed the suitability of the data transmission rates in the Bowman Combat Infrastructure Platform and found they met the department's specifications. The department continues to work to improve situational awareness capability as part of the incremental approach to Bowman CIP.

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many platforms have been convertedto Bowman to date; and what estimates the Ministry of Defence has made of the impact of urgent operational requirements and operational commitments on the timescale for conversion of platforms to Bowman.

Lord Howell of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What estimate they have made of the impact that carbon emission limiting measures currently in force in the United Kingdom will have in reducing the risks of sea flooding between the present date and 2030.

Lord Rooker: The Government are in regular contact with the European Commission regarding the administration of the single payment scheme (SPS). The European Commission's audit of the 2005 SPS in England is on-going and it is too early to draw any firm conclusions. No proposals have been made to date for financial corrections and, should the Commission make any in due course, the Government will continue to defend the UK's interests with the aim of ensuring that any corrections are minimised to the fullest possible degree.

Immigration: Detainees

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We remain firmly of the viewthat detention for immigration purposes under Article 5(1)(f) of the ECHR does not require judicial oversight. Detainees have access to judicial review and habeas corpus and this satisfies the Article 5(4) requirement that detained persons should be able to bring proceedings before a court to challenge the lawfulness of their detention.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Certain persons are normally considered suitable for detention in only exceptional circumstances. Elderly persons, pregnant women, those suffering from serious medical conditions or who are otherwise mentally ill and those where there is independent evidence to show that they have been tortured are included among those who would usually be considered unsuitable for detention.
	Detaining officers will always consider on a case-by-case basis whether detention is appropriate in any particular case.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The information requested in (a), (b) and (c) cannot be disclosed as this could provide information of value to those seeking to circumvent immigration controls, thereby prejudicing the prevention and detection of immigration offences.
	Internal performance targets on waiting times for non-EEA nationals are set at no more than 45 minutes 100 per cent of the time and no more than 30 minutes 90 per cent of the time. In Paris, passenger waiting times are within these limits. The number of booths open varies in accordance with passenger traffic levels.
	The Border and Immigration Agency has signalled to Eurostar the desirability of additional control points in the event of the terminal being re-developed.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The numbers of complaints about and the investigation into payment of wages of less than the national minimum wage isas follows:
	
		
			  Complaints Received Investigations 
			 1999-00 4,682 6041 
			 2000-01 2,365 7256 
			 2001-02 1,722 5368 
			 2002-03 1,998 6238 
			 2003-04 1,969 5541 
			 2004-05 1,946 5155 
			 2005-06 2,141 4904 
			 2006-07 2,210 4235 
		
	
	HM Revenue and Customs does not collect information which would allow it to distinguish between complaints made by UK citizens and those made by migrant workers.
	To date there have been no criminal prosecutions in relation to underpayment of the minimum wage.

Baroness Andrews: Although there are no specific data for denominational allegiances of Muslims in the UK, or on issues facing denominational groups, the Government's understanding is that, of the many Islamic schools of thought in the UK, the majority of UK Muslims are Sunni Brelwi or Sunni Deobandi.
	Surveys such as the census provide data onlyby broader religious affiliation, such as Muslim, Christian or Hindu. The Government are continuing to work with a range of partners to broaden our knowledge of faith communities.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In respect of employees with multiple jobs, the earnings from each of which is below the lower earnings limit, but from which the total combined pay is above the lower earnings limit, what estimate they have made of (a) the likely gross and net cost in 2025 and 2050, were credits to be made into (i) national insurance for the basic state pension only, and (ii) for the basic state pension and the state second pension; and (b) how many employees would be eligible for such a credit.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Evidence from the Labour Force Survey 2004-06 shows that there are currently around 15,000 women and around 5,000 men who have two jobs each paying below the lower earnings limit but when aggregated their earnings are at least equal to the lower earnings limit, who do not otherwise qualify for the basic state pension.
	These are point-in-time data and people may not remain in this position for lengthy periods and may well have other opportunities to build up qualifying years during their working lives. The reforms proposed in the Pensions Bill, including the reduction in the number of qualifying years to 30 for a basic state pension, mean that people reaching pensionage from 2010 will have far greater opportunity to build improved state pension entitlement over theirworking life.
	Table 1 below shows the estimated cost of providing a national insurance credit, from 2010, to people whose earnings would exceed the LEL if aggregated. Estimated numbers of people who would be eligible for such a credit are based on the above figures, and also take into account, for example, the projected increase in the working age population.
	However, such a national insurance credit would not be awarded on any form of self-certification basis without any evidence. All national insurance credits (and the proposed new carer's credit) are awardedon the basis of evidence. To satisfy the evidence requirement it would fall to employers to collectand aggregate earnings information to provide that evidence base—and we have ruled out aggregating earnings information in this way because of the burdens on business.
	If earnings information were to be collected on an aggregate basis by a collective of relevant employers and earnings exceeded the national insurance thresholds then national insurance contributions would be payable. It would be only right and fair to expect individuals and employers to pay national insurance on those earnings where a liability arises. It would be unfair to give people a free pass for pension purposes but exempt them from their national insurance liability.
	
		
			 Table 1 
			   2025 2050 
			 BSP only Gross cost (£m) 0-5 0-5 
			  Net cost (£m) 0-5 0-5 
			  Number of eligible people 35,000 35,000 
			 BSP and S2P Gross cost (£m) 20 110 
			  Net cost (£m) 15 80 
			  Number of eligible people 40,000 40,000 
			 Source:  DWP estimates based on evidence from the Labour Force Survey 2004-06 and demographic projections. 
			 Notes for tables: 
			 1. Estimated costs are presented in £ million, 2006-07 price terms and include overseas cases. 
			 2. Gross costs refer to the estimated expenditure associated with this credit, in addition to estimated expenditure on reforms to coverage set out in the Pensions Bill. They take into account, for example, the reduction in qualifying years required for a full basic state pension. They do not include other reforms that affect basic state pension, such as earnings uprating. 
			 3. Net costs include savings seen from reduced expenditure on income related benefits (pension credit, housing benefit & council tax benefit) and from changes to state pension age. 
			 4. Estimates of eligible people show the number of people in the given year who could be awarded the credit. 
			 5. Estimated costs have been rounded, according to the scale of the figure. Figures below £5 million are shown as £0-5 million. Estimated numbers of people eligible have been rounded to the nearest 5,000. 
			 6. Estimated costs relate only to benefit expenditure and do not take account of administration costs. 
			 7. Estimates assume that the earnings of the people concerned rise at the same rate as the lower earnings limit. 
			 8. Estimates are based on survey data and are subject to sampling variability. Information relating to third or fourth jobs is not collected in the Labour Force Survey. Consequently estimates may exclude people whose total earnings from their first and second jobs are below the lower earnings limit, but total earnings including any additional jobs are above the lower earnings limit. Similarly, information in the Labour Force Survey does not permit precise identification of people who are already qualifying for state pension, and so proxies have been used. For example, women with dependant children below 12 years are assumed to be qualifying through contributions credits for those caring for children.

Waste Management Landfill